Thief sets shop ablaze
In a bizarre incident that had left Tsholotsho residents in a state of stupor, a thief who broke into a shop stole money and decided to set the shop on fire in a bid to conceal evidence.
It is alleged that on September 30 2020, at Pretty General Dear, Tsholotsho Business Centre, the proprietor Pretty Dube closed, locked doors and secured all the burglar screen doors of her shop at around 1900hrs. She stuffed an amount of P3 200, ZAR100 000, USD$3 500 and airtime with a value of ZWL$26 380 under the pillow on the bed that is in the shop office and left the place in readiness for the following day.
However, a thief had other ideas.
Matabeleland North Police Spokesperson Chief Inspector Siphiwe Makonese told Community Podium that in the wee hours hours of October 1 2020, a thief (name withheld) gained access by removing one of the roofing sheets at Dube’s shop, stole all the cash and the airtime.
Makonese said the thief then set the shop office ablaze and got away. He proceeded to anonymously call an Assistant Inspector Chinyanyu on his mobile informing him of the fire.
At around 03:26 police got to the scene asking for assistance from the nearby residence to extinguish the fire, to no avail as everything in the shop office was burnt beyond recognition and nothing was recovered. The suspect is alleged to have disappeared and when police got to his homestead his wife confirmed that he had packed his bag and left without divulging his destination.
The pursue team proceeded to Matshudula Business Centre and they found the suspect and he was arrested on the spot.USD$2 407, P1 225, ZAR2 800 and airtime worth Zw$26 380 was recovered. The suspect is detained at Tsholotsho Police pending his appearance in court.
